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NEWater may sound like an overnight success for Singapore. But its evolution is a journey that has spanned three decades.
Singapore's first water masterplan was drawn up in 1972. In 1974, PUB, the national water agency, built a pilot plant to turn used water into potable water. This was the precursor of today's NEWater factories. But it was ahead of its time. The costs were astronomical and the membranes were unreliable, so the idea was shelved to await further technological advancement.
In 1998, the necessary technology had matured and driven production costs down. In May 2000, the first NEWater plant was completed.
Currently, there are four NEWater plants in Singapore. The fifth NEWater plant at Changi will be Singapore’s largest NEWater plant. NEWater will meet about 30 percent of Singapore’s total water demand by 2010.
The NEWater Visitor Centre, which was opened in February 2003, is the focal point of PUB’s public education on NEWater. The centre highlights the importance of water and how Singapore leverages on advances in technology to reclaim water. Visitors are able to view firsthand the operation of the advanced dual membrane and ultraviolet technologies used to produce NEWater.
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